Fall Cookie Exchange!

Some of my favorite memories from the holiday seasons past involve hanging out with good friends and eating lots of sweets! Last weekend, I decided to bring a little bit of my southern roots to Hungary and host a cookie exchange. These are super popular in my circle of friends in MS, so I figured I'd give it a shot here! Most of the Hungarians I invited weren't really sure why I wanted to do something like this, to which I just said, "...because it's fun! Trust me!" 

Here's the invitation I designed and emailed everyone...

The guest list had been made, the invitations had been sent, now I just had to decide what I was going to bring! I really wanted to try something new, but not too complicated. Ah ha! I knew just what to make: Caramel Apples! Now, I'd never tasted a caramel apple, much less tried making them before last week, but they sure sounded yummy! After watching a few youtube videos on how to make them, I was feeling confident that this would work. 

Here's how it all went down...

First, I got 20 granny smith apples and skewered them with chop sticks. (You're supposed to use popsicle sticks or kabob skewers, but I couldn't find either anywhere!) I also chopped up a bunch of walnuts to roll the apples in later.

Next, I dipped each apple in boiling water to remove the waxy residue that keeps the caramel from sticking...this is my comfy, 'I'm going to be in the kitchen all night' look.

As the apples were drying, I melted caramel candies (took for-ev-er to find over here!) in the microwave. Then, I rolled the apples in the caramel...

...then in the chopped nuts...

...placed them on a baking sheet and popped them into the fridge to harden.

If you know me, you know I can't make any dessert without one of the ingredients being chocolate! Here's where the next step comes in; I melted some chopped up chocolate bar in the microwave and drizzled= okay, slathered= it on the apples. If you're going to add chocolate, you'd better do it right!

Then, I put them back in the fridge to cool. The next day I packaged them up in cellophane bags and finished them off with a little raffia. 

I also made some chocolate chunk hot cocoa mix and bought these cute bags of holiday pasta for giveaways at the party. I forgot to take pics, but I dipped plastics spoons in melted white and milk chocolate and packaged them up like the apples for 'thanks for coming' gifts for everyone. 

We spent the night snacking on veggies, bruschetta, and chips and salsa, playing get-to-know-you games, and sampling loads of sweets! I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off at the party and completely forgot to take pics until everyone was leaving!! Oh well! Several people had already left by the time I remembered, but here I am with the stragglers! We had a great time getting to know each other and sampling everyone's sweets! Great job on the baking ladies! I look forward to many more nights like this one!

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." -Romans 12:9-13